Creamy Tomato Bisque (Printable version)
Velvety tomato soup with cream, fresh herbs, and a smooth texture for a comforting meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
05 - 28 ounces canned whole tomatoes, with juices
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
→ Liquids
07 - 2 cups vegetable broth
08 - ½ cup heavy cream
→ Spices & Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon sugar
10 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
11 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnish (optional)
15 - Fresh basil leaves
16 - Drizzle of extra cream
# How to Prepare:
01 - Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and diced carrot, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Mix in tomato paste, canned tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, sugar, dried basil, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove bay leaf. Purée soup using an immersion blender or carefully blend in batches with a countertop blender until smooth.
06 - Return soup to low heat, stir in heavy cream, and warm gently for 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and a swirl of cream as desired.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It's deceptively simple yet tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, which is the best kind of dinner party secret.
- The cream transforms tangy tomatoes into something luxuriously smooth that coats your mouth in the best way.
- Ready in under an hour, so you can make restaurant-quality soup on a Tuesday night without any fuss.
02 -
- The bay leaf must come out before you blend. I learned this the hard way when I tried to blend a whole bay leaf and it nearly broke my blender.
- Don't skip the tomato paste. This is what separates an okay tomato soup from one that tastes like it's been cooking since morning.
- Adding cream to boiling soup can cause it to break or curdle. Always add it to hot soup that's off the heat or very gently simmering.
03 -
- The secret to restaurant-quality bisque is patience with your sauté step. Don't rush the onion and carrot. They need those full 5 minutes to release their natural sugars and create the sweet foundation that makes everything else better.
- Taste your soup before adding the cream. You want the tomato flavor to be clear and balanced. The cream should be an enhancement, not a mask for poor seasoning.